A Comparative Analysis of Antibacterial Efficacy of Triple Antibiotic Paste and Modified Triple Antibiotic Paste against Enterococcus faecalis: An In vitro Study

Abstract Introduction: Triple antibiotic paste (TAP), which is a mixture of ciprofloxacin, metronidazole, and minocycline, is a commonly used intracanal medicament in root canal therapy, especially in regenerative endodontic procedures. The study aimed to evaluate and compare the antimicrobial effectiveness of conventional TAP and amoxicillin modified-TAP against Enterococcus faecalis . Materials and Methods: Antimicrobial effectiveness of the medicaments against E. faecalis was assessed using the agar diffusion test: conventional TAP containing ciprofloxacin, metronidazole, and minocycline in 1:1:1 ratio and modified TAP containing ciprofloxacin, metronidazole, and amoxicillin in 1:1:1 ratio. Distilled water was used as control. Two hundred microliters of each of the intracanal medicament were placed on the top of the agar plates, followed by incubation of the plates for 24 h at 37°C. The plates were examined for zones of inhibition of microbial growth after incubation period. The diameters of the zones were evaluated and measured in millimeters. Results: The mean zone of inhibition in TAP and modified TAP was 32 and 31.5 mm, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between TAP and modified TAP ( P = 0.3917). Conclusion: Amoxicillin-modified TAP was as effective as conventional TAP, against E. faecalis and thus may be used as its alternative.